Melting kettle



April 15, 1958l R. H. WALTER, .JRl 2,830,5774

MELTING KETTLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 3l. 1957 April 15, 1958 R. H.WALTER, JR

MELTING KETTLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1957 BY 5M VW UnitedStates Patent O MELTING KETTLE Richard H. Walter, Jr., Ramsey, N. J.,assigner to Aeroil Products Company, Inc., South Hackensack, N. J., acorporation of New Jersey Application January 31, 1957, Serial No.637,424

1 Claim. (Cl. 126-3435) This invention relates to a melting device andwhile not limited thereto is particularly directed to a rollably mountedkettle for melting bituminous materials such as asphalt, tar, pitch, waxand the like or for use in building roads and the life.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved construction ofmelting kettle which functions to provide greater efficiency in themelting of bituminous materials and which prevents deterioration of themelted materials. A principal feature of the invention is to provide aconstruction of melting kettle which prevents water and moisture fromentering the kettle through the walls thereof and which also functionsto return the condensate collecting on the under side of the cover tothe kettle. The loss of such condensate renders the bituminous materialsbrittle and of poor quality. The return of the condensate to the meltedmaterials is, therefore, of great importance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a melting receptacle andcover therefor which are so constructed and arranged las to provide areturn ow into the kettle of material accumulating on the cover andwhichalso prevents the cover from adhering to the rim of the receptacle.i

Still another object of the invention is to provide means by which themelted material flows toward a discharge outlet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of melting kettle which facilitates the manufacture andassembly thereof and which improves the operation and use of the kettle.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, reference is now made tothe following specification and accompanying drawings in which thepreferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a melting kettle constructed inaccordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on line 2--2of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken approximately .online 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings the melted kettle comprises a receptacle afxedto a chassis frame 11. The chassis frame 11 is rollably supported onWheels 13 journaled on a cross shaft secured to the chassis frame 11 andextending transversely ofthe chassis substantially medially of thelength of the receptacle. The opposite side rails 1d of the chassisextend inwardly at their forward ends to provide a tapered forward end.A tubular socket 15 is journaled in the tapered forward end of thechassis in which a vertical supporting leg 16 is adjustable fordisposing the forward portion of the frame at varying elevation. Forthis purpose the tubular socket 15 is provided with openings 17 and thevertical leg 16 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spacedopenings 2,830,577 Patented Apr. 15, 1958 ICC 18 for receivingtherethrough and through the openings in the socket a bar 19 for holdingthe leg in vertical set position.

The receptacle 10 is provided with a cover 20 which is hinged to a coverpanel 21 having a downturned rim extending continuously about theforward and opposite side edges thereof and which telescopically fit theforward wall and opposite side walls of the receptacle adjacent theforward end thereof. Secured to the cover panel 21 is a well 22 ofrectangular shape in cross-section and from which extends a tubular flue23 connected at its rear end with a header 24. The header is ofrectangular formation in cross-section having converging end walls 25and with feet 26 depending from the bottom Wall 27 thereof forsupporting the header in the receptacle in spaced relation from thebottom wall thereof. Also connected with the header 24 alongside of theilue 23 are branch flues 28 and 29 which extend forwardly from theheader and are provided with upwardly directed outlet ends 30 whichextend through openings in the cover panel. The cover panel 21 togetherwith the well 22 and the lines 23, 28 and Z9 and the header 24 are thusconnected together as a unit and may be disposed with the cover panel insupported relation upon the receptacle and the well and -ues togetherwith the header located within and spaced from the bottom wall of thereceptacle.

The receptacle is adapted to be filled with bituminous material in theform of chunks and small particles thereof which fill the spacesurrounding the ues and between the same and the bottom, lside and endwalls of the receptacle. The bituminous material is melted by means of aburner 31 supported upon the bottom wall of the well 22 for projecting aflame jet longitudinally of the flue 23. The gases of combustion passthrough the header 24 and through the side ues 28 and 29 and areVdischarged through the outlet ends 30 thereof. The

burner 31 may be of any desired type such as a Vaporizing torch typewhich receives liquid fuel through a conduit 33 connected with a fueltank 34 supported on the chassis forwardly of the receptacle.

An important feature of the invention is an improved construction ofreceptacle 1t) and hinged cover 2@ which functions to provide greatereiiiciency in the melting of the bituminous material and which preventsdeteriora tion of the melted material. For this purpose the receptacleis provided with inner and outer shells 3S and 36 between which isarranged heat insulating material 37. The inner and outer shells are soconstructed and arranged as to prevent any water or moisture enteringthe kettle through the walls thereof. The hinged cover together with theupper portion of the receptacle are constructed to retain the volatilesolvents -which vaporize upon heating of the bituminous material fromescaping from the kettle and which also provides means by which thesolvents will ow back into the receptacle.

The inner shell 35 includes opposite side walls 39 and 40 and a bottomwall 41 which are formed from a length of sheet metal with the bottomwall sloping inwardly from the side edges thereof toward the center.Formed integrally with the side walls 39 and 40 are inwardly anddownwardly directed top rims 42 having depending peripheral flanges 43.The inner shell 35 also includes end walls 46 and 47 which are securedto the side walls 39 and 4i) and to the bottom wall 41 by screws orother fastening means. The end walls 46 and 47 are similarly providedwith top rims 4S which extend downwardly and inwardly and are providedwith depending peripheral flanges 49.

The outer shell 36 includes opposite side walls 50 and S1 which areformed with inwardly directed top rims 52 extending longitudinally ofthe upper edges thereof and which underlie the top rims 42 of the sideWalls 39 and f 2,830,577 l f 40. The side walls S and 51 of the outershell 36 are l also formed with inwardly directed bottom rims 53 havingdepending flanges 54 at the inner edges thereof. The bottom rims 53 seatupon and are secured to the top angS Qf the side rails 14 of the chassisframe 11 with the depending flanges 54 abutting against the .outer facesof the side walls 39 and 40 of the inner shell 35 and between the sameand the top flanges of the side rails 14 of the chassis frame 11. Theouter shell 36 also includes end walls S7 and 58 which are similarlyprovided with inwardly directed top rims 59. The rims 59 underlie therims 48 of the end walls 46 and 47 with the depending peripheral flanges49 of said end walls overlying the marginal upper edge portions of theend walls 57 and 58 and being secured thereto by screws or equivalentfastening means. The outer shell 36 also includes a bottom wall 6) whichseats on and is secured to the bottom anges of the side rails 14 of thechassis frame 11 and with the inwardly directed flanges 61 of the endwalls 57 and 58 extending under the marginal end portions of the bottomwall 61) and being secured thereto by screws or equivalent fasteningmeans.

The receptacle is provided with an outlet 63 which is connectedtherewith in alignment with the lowest portion of the bottom wall 41 fordraining oif the melted material.

The cover includes a top wall and a downwardly and outwardly deliectingfront wall 65 and downwardly and outwardly directed side walls 66 and 67and a vertical rear Wall 68 which is hinged to the cover panel 21 by ahinge 69. The front and side walls 65, 66 and 67 are provided with adepending peripheral skirt portion 70 and with a ledge 71 located withinthe cover and deflecting downwardly and inwardly from the top of saidskirt portion. The skirt portion 70 is adapted to fit about theperipheral flanges 49 at the top of the receptacle and the ledge 71 isadapted to seat on the highest portion of the top rims 42 and 48. Thisarrangement seals the cover on the receptacle so as to prevent theescape of the volatile solvents between the cover and the receptaclewhich vaporize from the materials during the heating thereof andcondense on the under side of the cover. The sloping ledge 71 and rims42 and 48 also function to return the condensate to the receptacle andthe line contact of the ledge of the cover with the rims when the coveris in closed relation prevents sticking of the cover to the rims andeliminates the necessity of prying the cover to open relation.

The receptacle is provided adjacent the rear corners thereof withdiagonally disposed bars 72 which overlie 4 and engage the top of theheader 24 to retain the feet 26 of the header in engagement with thebottom wall of the receptacle and prevent upward movement of the headerand ues 23, 28 and 29 due to the bouyancy thereof in the melted materialin the receptacle.

While the preferred form of the invention has been shown and describedherein, it is to be understood that the same is not so limited but shallcover and include any and all modifications of the invention which fallwithin the purview thereof.

What is claimed is:

In an apparatus of the character described, an open top receptacle formelting materials therein, said receptacle including spaced inner andouter shells between which is arranged heat insulation material, saidinner shell having opposite side walls and opposite end Walls and aninwardly and downwardly deecting rim, said rim having its inner edgeconnected with the upper edge of said side and end walls to extendoutwardly therefrom and said rim having a peripheral flange dependingfrom the outer edge thereof, said outer shell having opposite side wallsand opposite end walls and an inwardly directed rim at the top, saidlast mentioned rim extending inwardly beneath the first mentioned rimwith said depending ange extending downwardly in covering relation withthe upper portion of said side and end walls of said outer shell forpreventing the entrance of moisture between said shells at the topthereof, a cover hingedly connected with said receptacle for closing theopen top thereof, said cover having a depending skirt extending about atleast three sides thereof and fitting about the upper portion of saidreceptacle, and said cover having a downwardly and inwardly deflectingledge extending inwardly from the top of said skirt and adapted to seatin narrow contact on the highest portion of said first mentioned rimwhen the cover is closed thereby providing a seal to prevent the escapeof vapors from the apparatus, said inwardly and downwardly deflectingledge of said cover and said inwardly and downwardly deecting rim ofsaid receptacle functioning to return the condensate collected on theinside of said cover to said receptacle and preventing adhering of thecover to said rim by the condensate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,701,323 Fredenhagen Feb. 5, 1929 2,093,232 Coulter Sept. 14, 19372,269,994 Sperry Jan. 13 1942 2,544,153 Hall Mar. 6, 1951 2,743,981Moore May 1, 1956

